Published 17th Feb, 2022

By Tola Owoyele

The sudden death of a yet to be identified man has become a source of controversy and tension in Owa-Alizomor community in Ika North-East Local Government Area, Delta State.

According to multiple sources, who spoke to FIJ, on the condition of anonymity, the death could have been prevented if officers at the Owa-Oyibu Divisional Headquarters, the police division closest to the community, had been swift to act, when complaints concerning the deceased was first brought to their notice at a time when he was still alive.

AN INDEGENE’S ACCOUNT OF THE INCIDENT

“A few of us, who happen to be members of Owa-Alizomor community, saw the man’s semi-conscious body in front of Owa-Alizomor Secondary School gate and immediately went to the Owa-Oyibu station to report it,” said a youth leader from the community, who asked not to be named, to FIJ.

“After they received our complaint, they told us they would take action, but, they never did. This was on the evening of February 8.

“The following morning, which happened to be February 9, the entire village woke up to find out that the man, who was still alive when we went to the station to report, was now dead. He was actually beheaded.”

SAME NARRATION FROM ANOTHER INDIGENE

Another indigene of the village, who also spoke on the condition that his identity is not revealed, said the stranger had rope marks on his wrists when he was first sighted.

“The man looked like he was dumped in front of the school. He was too weak and exhausted to move, and he also had rope marks on his wrists. He looked pretty much like a kidnap victim.

“Even after the police were duly notified of the incident, they did not take any immediate action to assist him, when he was still alive. It was after the man’s headless body was discovered, still around the school premises, on the next day, that they came around to carry his corpse.

“This is probably someone’s husband, dad, brother and son. There is also a very strong possibility that his relatives would have been looking for him too. His gruesome murder could have been avoided.”

SCHOOL PRINCIPAL’S ACCOUNT

However, when FIJ spoke with Patience Bianze, the principal of Owa-Alizomor Secondary School, she gave a contrasting account on the incident.

“The story making the rounds is not true. At no point was the man seen around the school premises a day before his corpse was discovered,” she said, while speaking with FIJ.

“The first thing I did when I came to school on February 9 was to organise a morning assembly for the students. It was after the assembly that the security men at the school gate came to inform me that a beheaded corpse had been left beside the school premises.”

The principal added that after seeing the corpse herself, she immediately informed some members of the vigilante group in the community.

“The vigilante members then accompanied me to the palace of the Oparaku of the community, so we could inform him as well. After this, I called my superiors at the Ministry of Education to let them know what was going on as well.”

The principal said she subsequently went to the Owa-Oyibu Divisonal Headquarters to report the matter.

“After taking statements from me and the security officials that were with me, they came with me to the school to take away the man’s body,” Bianze.

FIJ gathered that the body has since been deposited in the Morgue at the Central Hospital in Owa-Alero, a place not too far from Owa-Alizomor.

FROM ANOTHER INDIGENE

Another indigene from the community has however given reasons why the principal’s account of the incident was different from what many indigenes believed happened.

“You know, the principal is a lady and there is every possibility that she might have been threatened by the police in Owa-Oyibu to tell a different story whenever she is approached by members of the press,” the indigene said.

“How come it is only the principal’s account that is different? Or is it that everybody else in the community, who confirmed that the man had been alive before he was beheaded, don’t know what they are saying?

“The officers at Owa-Oyibu are notorious for not doing their job the way they should. The ugly incident could have been averted if they had done their job.”

The residents of the community also expressed fears over future indiscriminate arrests by the police over the incident.

“We pray they don’t start arresting and harassing us over the incident in the coming days. The only thing they know how to do best is to harass innocent people,” one of the indigenes said.

FROM DELTA STATE PPRO

When FIJ spoke with Bright Edafe, Delta State police spokesman, on the incident, he said the following:

“I have not received any information over any incident from the Owa-Oyibu division. I will however reach out to them to find out what exactly happened.”

Incidentally, Ika North-East LGA happens to be the local government of origin of Ifeanyi Okowa, the incumbent governor of Delta State.

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